Death of a Unicorn

Reading Group Questions included."Mr. Dickinson has a nice dry wit and a talent for deft characterization."—New York Times"Everything here is exactly right."—New YorkerDeath of a Unicorn is the first in a series of reprints of Peter Dickinson's mysteries from Small Beer Press. This classic British mystery will win fans currently engrossed in Downton Abbey.From Peter Dickinson's Timeline on his website: "When the youngest member of the five-strong editorial staff of Punch (founded 1843) turned 40 the editor, Kenneth Bird (the cartoonist Fougasse) had written to a don he knew at Cambridge to ask him to find someone younger to train up. On his way to the interview for the job Peter was knocked down by a tram and arrived covered with blood and dirt, but they gave him the job because he was the only candidate. A lot of his novel Death of a Unicorn is based on the seventeen years he spent there."Peter Dickinson OBE has twice received the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger as well as the Guardian Award and Whitbread Prize. He is the author of over fifty books including The Poison Oracle, A Summer in the Twenties, and many more. His latest book is Earth and Air: Tales of Elemental Spirits (Big Mouth House). He lives in England and is married to the novelist Robin McKinley."Peter Dickinson is my own chosen demigod in the pantheon of crime fiction."—Laurie R. King"The Tolkien of the crime novel."—H.R.F.KeatingPraise for Peter Dickinson's mysteries:"He is the true original, a superb writer who revitalises the traditions of the mystery genre . . . incapable of writing a trite or inelegant sentence . . . a master."—P. D. James"He sets new standards in the mystery field that will be hard to live up to."—Ruth Rendell"He has an eye and a mind and a voice like no other."—Donald E. Westlake"A fresh triumph . . . a simultaneous insight into kids and their minders, and emerging nations, and the concept of freedom - all done with consummate story-telling skill."—Peter Lovesey"Read this book carefully. It's a jewel."—The New York Times Review"Brilliantly imaginative first detective story . . .wonderfully convincing."—The Observer"Mr Dickinson is the most original crime novelist to appear for a long, long time."—The Guardian"Brilliantly original, as always."—Times Literary Supplement"Wry, witty, irresistible."—The Financial Times"A literary magician controlling an apparently inexhaustible supply of effects . . . Craftsmanship such as this makes for compulsive reading."—Penelope Lively"Dickinson tops all his prizewinners with this stunning psychological thriller."—Publishers WeeklyAbout the AuthorPeter Dickinson: Peter Dickinson OBE has twice received the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger as well as the Guardian Award and Whitbread Prize. His latest book is Earth and Air: Tales of Elemental Spirits (Big Mouth House). He lives in England and is married to the novelist Robin McKinley.